Woman burns son over groundnuts

Fairness Moyana
A 28-YEAR-OLD Binga woman who burnt her three-year-old son’s palms with a hot pan for eating groundnuts without her permission has her gods to thank after she was spared jail time but instead will do 360 hours of community service.
Judith Muleya from Sinanzengwe area in Siabuwa, Binga, pleaded guilty last Friday when she appeared before Binga resident magistrate Stephen Ndlovu facing a charge of contravening Section 7 (1) of the Children’s Act Chapter 5:6 “ill-treatment of a child”.

Muleya, who is the second wife in a polygamous marriage, risks losing custody of her son and two other children after social services officers launched investigations into the issue to learn how the other siblings were living. The investigations will include ascertaining the food security of the Mwinde homestead where an element of lack of food had resulted in the crime.

State prosecutor Bruce Maphosa told the court that on 17 June 2014 at her husband Vincent Mwinde’s homestead, Muleya got angry after finding her son eating groundnuts. She took a frying pan and placed it on the fire before pressing the child’s hands against it, burning him in the process.

The child was rescued by a member of the neighbourhood watch committee who effected a citizen’s arrest before handing over the woman to police at Siabuwa.

The child was rushed to Binga Hospital were he was subsequently admitted for a week due to the seriousness of the burns.
Asked why she did it Muleya said there was no food at the homestead and when she saw her son eating the groundnuts she intended to reprimand him but an evil force suddenly took over her resulting in her actions.

“Your honour, I did not intend to cause my son any harm. I think the devil overcame me and I ended up doing what I did. I’m sorry your honour, I don’t know what came over me, may this court have mercy on me,” pleaded a tearful Muleya.

In passing sentence Ndlovu put into consideration the probation officer’s report which said since Muleya’s three children were still young sending their mother to jail would negatively affect them.

“What you did is wrong and can not be condoned, however, after putting into consideration the probation officer’s report and recommendations a custodial sentence would not be appropriate at this time. You are hereby sentenced to 24 months imprisonment of which six months is suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour,” said Ndlovu.

The remaining 18 months were suspended on condition she performs 360 hours of community service at Sinanzengwe Primary School.